Cyclonic vacuum cleaner system

ABSTRACT

A cyclone system for a vacuum cleaner includes an array of two or more primary cyclone chambers, an array of two or more secondary cyclone chambers situated downstream of the primary cyclone chambers, and a manifold situated downstream of and communicating with the primary cyclone chambers and upstream of and communicating with the secondary cyclone chambers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners. More particularly,although not exclusively, the invention relates to “bagless” vacuumcleaners having cyclonic filtering chambers.

Cyclonic chamber vacuum cleaners are known. Some such vacuum cleanersemploy both a primary cyclonic chamber for removing large particulatematerial from an air stream, and a secondary cyclonic chamber housedwithin the primary chamber for separating smaller particulate materialfrom the air stream after passing through the primary chamber.

Some cyclone vacuum cleaners comprise a long exit tube extending intothe cyclonic chamber and around which a cyclonic flow is induced.

Such known cyclonic vacuum cleaners have limited particulate-removalefficiency and indeed the location of a secondary chamber within aprimary chamber, or the extension of an elongated exit tube into thecyclonic chamber diminishes desirable natural vortex which mightotherwise be induced in the chamber.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantiallyameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages and/or more generallyto provide an improved sequential cyclonic vacuum cleaner.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

There is disclosed herein a cyclone system for a vacuum cleaner,comprising:

-   -   an array of primary cyclone chambers,    -   an array of secondary cyclone chambers situated downstream of        the primary cyclone chambers, and    -   a manifold situated downstream of and communicating with the        primary cyclone chambers and upstream of and communicating with        the secondary cyclone chambers.

Preferably, the manifold communicates with each primary cyclone chambervia an air-extraction exit tube extending into the primary cyclonechamber.

Preferably, each exit tube comprises an inlet through which air from theprimary chamber passes en route to the manifold and a particulate screenacross the inlet.

Preferably, each primary cyclone chamber comprises a dirty air inletport directed tangentially into the chamber and the exit tube extendssufficiently into the chamber such that its inlet is not in the directflow path of the dirty air inlet port, but not substantially therepast,thereby leaving a major axial portion of the primary cyclone chamberunobstructed by the exit tube.

Preferably, the secondary chambers each comprise an air-extraction exittube extending into the secondary chamber and via which air is drawnfrom the secondary chamber.

Preferably, the cyclone system further comprises a respective fineparticulate receptacle associated-with each secondary cyclone chamber,and wherein each secondary cyclone chamber is frusto-conically taperedinwardly toward the respective fine particulate receptacle.

Preferably, the cyclone system further comprises a pair of said primarycyclone chambers and a trio of said secondary cyclone chambers.

There is further disclosed herein a cyclone chamber for a vacuumcleaner, comprising:

-   -   a dirty air inlet port directed tangentially into the chamber,    -   an air-extraction exit tube extending into the cyclone chamber        and having an inlet through which air is extracted from the        chamber, the exit tube extending sufficiently into the chamber        such that its inlet is not in the direct flow path of the dirty        air inlet port, but not substantially therepast, thereby leaving        a major axial portion of the cyclone chamber unobstructed by the        exit tube.

Preferably, the cyclone chamber further comprises a particulate screensituated across the inlet of the air-extraction exit tube.

There is further disclosed herein a cyclone system for a vacuum cleaner,comprising:

-   -   a primary cyclone chamber for receiving dirty air and having an        exit port,    -   a secondary cyclone chamber situated outside of and downstream        of the primary cyclone chamber and having an inlet port        receiving airflow from the exit port of the primary chamber.

Preferably, the primary and secondary chambers are each substantiallycylindrical with a major longitudinal axis and wherein the axes of therespective chambers are substantially co-linear.

There is further disclosed herein an upright vacuum cleaner comprisingthe above disclosed cyclone system and in which the secondary chamber issituated above the primary chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan illustration of a multi-chamber cyclonesystem,

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevation of a dual cyclone chamber system, and

FIG. 3 is a schematic elevation of an upright vacuum cleanerincorporating a dual cyclone chamber system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings there is depicted schematically acyclone system 9 for a vacuum cleaner. The system 9 includes a pair ofprimary cyclone chambers 11 a and 11 b and a common manifold 13connecting the primary chambers to a trio of secondary cyclone chambers14 a, 14 b and 14 c.

Each primary cyclone chamber 11 is substantially cylindrical in form andcomprises an inlet port 12 at the top end which extends tangentiallytherefrom. Each inlet port 12 would be connected via appropriatemanifolding and suction ducting to a vacuum cleaning head or suctionhose for example. The tangential transition of the dirty air inlet port12 to the cylindrical chamber induces a cyclonic flow within thechamber. The chamber 11 includes at its bottom a large particulatereceptacle area 17.

Whilst FIG. 2 depicts a second system 10 incorporating only singleprimary cyclone chamber 11 and single secondary cyclone chamber 14, thedetails shown in the figure can apply equally to the embodiment ofFIG. 1. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the manifold 13 isreplaced by a single connecting tube 21 between the cyclones.

The manifold 13 (or connecting tube 21) receives airflow from the/eachprimary chamber 11 via a short exit tube 19 which extends down into therespective primary chamber 11 only a short distance. This distance issufficient to clear the vertical space requirement of the inlet port 12so that particulate material entering the primary chamber 11 via inletport 12 is not drawn in directly by the exit tube. However, the exittube 19 does not extend significantly further into the primary chamber11 where it would otherwise adversely affect the natural vortex ofairflow within the chamber. A particulate screen 16 is fitted over theexit tube 19 as an additional barrier to the direct ingress of largeparticulate material to the exit tube.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the manifold 13 feeds into three individualsecondary cyclone chambers 14 a, 14 b and 14 c. In the embodiment ofFIG. 2, of course there is only a single secondary cyclone 14. The-oreach secondary cyclone chamber (as the case ma be) 14 also includes anexit tube 20 of similar design to exit tube(s) 19, but typically withouta particulate screen. The air flow from 13 or 21 feeds tangentially intothe/each secondary cyclone chamber 14 in much the same way as does thedirty airflow into inlet port 12 of the primary chamber(s).

The or each secondary cyclone chamber 14 at some point tapers conicallytoward a fine particulate receptacle 18 situated therebelow. Each exittube 15 would be connected via appropriate manifolding and ducting to amotor-driven suction pump.

FIG. 3 depicts an upright vacuum cleaner 30 in which the dual chambersystem of FIG. 2 is incorporated. The upright vacuum cleaner 30typically includes a handle 25, a cleaning head 23 and a suction pump 22connected via ducting 24 to the exit tube 20 of the secondary cyclone14. Air from the suction pump 22 is exhausted as shown by the largearrow. In the example of FIG. 3, the primary and secondary cyclones 11and 14 are mounted substantially coaxially. Moreover, the respectivelongitudinal axes of the cylindrical cyclone chambers are co-linear asindicated by common axis A in the figure. The smaller secondary cycloneis positioned above the larger primary cyclone. As seen in the figure, asingle connecting tube 21 extends upwardly from exit tube 19 to theinlet port 15 of the secondary cyclone chamber 14.

In use, the motor-driven suction pump 22 would be activated to inducesuction at the exit tube 15 of the or each secondary cyclone chamber 14.As clean air is extracted from the secondary chamber(s) 14, suction isinduced in the manifold 13 (or connecting tube 21) and fineparticle-laden air is drawn thereinto from the primary chamber(s) 11.Similarly, as fine particle-laden air is extracted from the primarychamber(s) 11, suction is induced at the inlet port(s) 12.

It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious tothose skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope ofthe present invention. For example, particulate screens could be addedto the exit tube(s) 20 to stop very fine particulate material, and anynumber of primary and secondary cyclone chambers can be attached to asingle manifold.

1. A cyclone system for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: an array ofprimary cyclone chambers, an array of secondary cyclone chamberssituated downstream of the primary cyclone chambers, and a manifoldsituated downstream of and communicating with the primary cyclonechambers and upstream of and communicating with the secondary cyclonechambers.
 2. The cyclone system of claim 1, wherein the manifoldcommunicates with each primary cyclone chamber via an air-extractionexit tube extending into the primary cyclone chamber.
 3. The cyclonesystem of claim 2, wherein each exit tube comprises an inlet throughwhich air from the primary chamber passes en route to the manifold and aparticulate screen across the inlet.
 4. The cyclone system of claim 3,wherein each primary cyclone chamber comprises a dirty air inlet portdirected tangentially into the chamber and the exit tube extendssufficiently into the chamber such that its inlet is not in the directflow path of the dirty air inlet port, but not substantially therepast,thereby leaving a major axial portion of the primary cyclone chamberunobstructed by the exit tube.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The cyclone system ofclaim 1, further comprising a respective fine particulate receptacleassociated with each secondary cyclone chamber, and wherein eachsecondary cyclone chamber is frusto-conically tapered inwardly towardthe respective fine particulate receptacle.
 6. The cyclone system ofclaim 1, comprising a pair of said primary cyclone chambers and a trioof said secondary cyclone chambers.
 7. A cyclone chamber for a vacuumcleaner, comprising: a dirty air inlet port directed tangentially intothe chamber, an air-extraction exit tube extending into the chamber andhaving an inlet through which air is extracted from the chamber, theexit tube extending sufficiently into the chamber such that its inlet isnot in the direct flow path of the dirty air inlet port, but notsubstantially therepast, thereby leaving a major axial portion of thecyclone chamber unobstructed by the exit tube.
 8. The cyclone chamber ofclaim 7, further comprising a particulate screen situated across theinlet of the air-extraction exit tube.
 9. A cyclone system for a vacuumcleaner, comprising: a primary cyclone chamber for receiving dirty airand having an exit port, a secondary cyclone chamber situated outside ofand downstream of the primary cyclone chamber and having an inlet portreceiving airflow from the exit port of the primary chamber.
 10. Thecyclone system of claim 9, wherein the primary and secondary chambersare each substantially cylindrical with a major longitudinal axis andwherein the axes of the respective chambers are substantially co-linear.11. The cyclone system of claim 10, wherein the primary chambercomprises: a dirty air inlet port directed tangentially into thechamber, an air-extraction exit tube extending into the chamber andhaving an inlet through which air is extracted from the chamber, theexit tube extending sufficiently into the chamber such that its inlet isnot in the direct flow path of the dirty air inlet port, but notsubstantially therepast, thereby leaving a major axial portion of thecyclone chamber unobstructed by the exit tube.
 12. The cyclone system ofclaim 11, further comprising a particulate screen situated across theinlet of the air-extraction exit tube.
 13. An upright vacuum cleanercomprising the cyclone system of claim 10 and in which the secondarychamber is situated above the primary chamber.
 14. The cyclone system ofclaim 1, wherein the secondary chambers each comprise an air-extractionexit tube extending into the secondary chamber and via which air isdrawn from the secondary chamber.